Device for securing curtains.



F. SWICKARD.

DEVICE F'OR SECURING CURTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24. 1914.

1,154,70. PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

at nm a.

FRANK SWIGKARD, 0F FRANKLIN GROVE, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR SECURING CURTAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 15215.

Application filed December 2 1, 1914. Serial No. 878,8637.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK SwIoKARD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin Grove, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for SecuringCurtains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means whereby a curtain or other suitable article may be secured in position as upon the frame of a vehicle.

One object of my invention is to produce a device of this character which shall be cheap to manufacture, one in which the cur tain can be quickly and easily secured in place and readily detached when desired.

A further object of my invention is to produce a fastener which, in securing the curtain in place, will stretch the same and hold it in its stretched condition.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, the preferred form of which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and thenthe invention particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing my device holding a portion of a curtain and a portion of one of the side bars of the top of the vehicle; Fig. 2 is a View showing the fastener in side elevation and the curtain in section, with the fastener in the position it assumes before it is secured; Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the fastener and curtain, showing the parts in their secured position; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5, 5 of Fig. 3.

For the sake of illustration I have shown aside bar 10 of the top of a vehicle, such for instance as an automobile, and 11 indicates a portion of one of the curtains which are adapted to be secured to the sides of the bars supporting the top.

12 designates a base adapted to be fastened by suitable securing means, as screws 13, to the side bar 10, or any other piece to which it is' desired to secure a curtain. Extending up from the base 12 is a pillar 14, preferably slightly diamond shape or oval, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. Near the upper portion of this pillar 1 provide a pivot 15, which for sake of illustration I have shown as formed integral with the pillar and extending outwardly from each side thereof. The particular construction of this pivot is however entirely immaterial, and may be modified or changed as desired.

16 indicates the securing member which is of elbow-like shape, and near its elbow is connected with the pillar 1 1 by the pivot 15. In the particular form of my invention shown this securing device 16 is formed of sheet metal doubled back upon itself away from the inner side of the elbow to form a pair of flanges 17 adapted to extend on opposite sides of the pillar and preferably, and as shown, the outer edges of these flanges are bent toward each other, as best shown in Fig. 5, so that when the catch is in closed position, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the flanges will extend around the elliptical or diamond shaped pillar, and tend to secure the catch in its looking or holding posi tion. The portion of the catch between the flanges 17 resting substantially against the edge of the post when the device is in its securing position, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The flanges 17 are bent toward each other from about the point where the lever is pivoted to the pillar to form a contracted space to cause the lever to bind on the pillar in the forward movement of the said lever to its fastening position, this construction preventing accidental raising of said lever, due to the binding contact referred to. Prcferably, and as shown, the free outer end of the opposite arm of the catch is turned upwardly to form a toc18, which is adapted to rest upon the surface of the curtain, as is illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the curtain I provide a suitable opening adapted to be engaged by the catch. Preferably, and as shown, this opening is oval shape, and is reinforced by a metallic plate 19, suitably secured in the body of the curtain. Preferably the opening in the plate 19 is somewhat elliptical, as indicated at 20, so that there is a wedging action between the plate and the sides of the catch. Preferably, and as shown, the position of the pivot of the catch lever on the pillar is such that the catch lever is behind the point of the V of the lever. As a consequence it will be seen that when the lever is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 the curtain will be stretched down because of the nio veiiient' of the point of the V around the point of pivotal connection.

the securing lever through the opening and then turn the securing lever untll 1ts toe rests'a'gainst the face of the curtain, and

then move the lever from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. As the pull of the curtain is against the arm of the lever it simply forces the'arm against the.

pillar and there is a tendency for the curtain to release itself. When it isdesired to release the curtain it is only necessary to either pull on the end of. it or else to raise up the toe when the curtain will be at once released.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could he made, Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a V limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fastener adapted to engage an opening in a curtain or the like, comprising a pillar of substantially oval-form in cross-' section, means for supporting the pillar on Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,"

being contracted to cause the sameto. bind on the pillar in the forward movement of said leverto its fastening position.

v 2. Afastener adapted to engage an opening .in a curtain or the like, comprising a pillar-of substantially oval form in crosssection, means for supporting the pillar. on

the part to which the curtain is secured, and an elbow-shaped lever flanged on its edges to form a channeled face and'ipivotedto said pillar, a portion of: the channeled. face. or

said lever being contracted to cause thesame to bind onthe' pillar in the forward movement of said lever to its fastening position.

3. A fastener adapted to engage an open ing in a curtain or the like, comprising a pillar of substantially oval-form in cross section, means for suppo-rtingthe' pillar on the part to which the curtain is 'secured,'and

an elbow-shaped lever formed of sheet.-

metal and flanged. on its edges to'forin a channeledface and pivotedtoflsaidipillar, a

portion ofthe channeled face of said lever being contracted to cause the same to bind on the pillar in the forward movement. of:

said lever to its fastening.position.

In testimony whereof ll. affix my signature in-presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:.

O; GREGORY, f E; F. CeMP.

Washington, D ,iG. I

" NK KARD, 

